A virtual reality (VR) wellness simulation capstone project proposal, submitted by Maryanna Klatt, PhD, has been selected by The Ohio State University Health Sciences Library (HSL) EdTech Incubator (ETI) annual call for proposals committee out of 12 submissions. Klatt will work with a small group of student assistants and resources in the ETI’s VR Zone on this innovative project designed to help young patients experience calm before medical procedures. Klatt is director of the Center for Integrative Health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and a clinical professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
The VR call for proposals program was developed by Derek Harmon, PhD, a clinical professor in the Division of Anatomy at the Ohio State College of Medicine in partnership with The Ohio State University College of Engineering. “The ETI has an incredible collection of technology and experts in virtual reality development that most College of Medicine faculty are unaware of,” said Harmon. “In addition, the College of Engineering’s capstone program provides a fantastic networking and development pipeline to help move projects from idea to prototype within a semester.” Klatt’s proposal is the first project selected through the VR call for proposals program.
Klatt’s simulation creates a meditation experience for pre-surgery patients and particularly focuses on pediatric and adolescent cancer patients. The VR experience creates a guided, calming environment that simulates the process of preparation before a procedure. It aims to improve patient outcomes during an otherwise stressful period of their treatment plan.
HSL Learning and Development Consultant Thomas Ellsworth was Klatt’s ETI point of contact throughout the VR simulation development process. The proposal stood out to him because of its practical applications for patient care. “The simulation is meant to be an extension or an outgrowth of Klatt's work with mindfulness and the Mindfulness in Motion Program,” Ellsworth shared.
Klatt’s capstone proposal reflects a growing interest in leveraging emerging technology in healthcare by incorporating VR to connect with preoperative patient care. The VR tools in the ETI have been increasingly utilized by Ohio State researchers, instructors and clinicians.
Klatt’s team plans to further explore the simulation’s effectiveness as a wellness tool. Their work in combining mindfulness practices with immersive technology is sure to inspire other researchers and cultivate more innovations for patient care.
The following individuals also contributed to the capstone project call for proposals program: Dauntrica Woods, lecturer at the College of Computer Science and Engineering and Capstone program coordinator; Mason Conway, Klatt's research assistant; Mo Duncan, ETI coordinator; Nicholas Kman, MD, emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, clinical professor of Emergency Medicine and director of the advanced clinical management segment of the “Lead.Serve.Inspire.” curriculum at the Ohio State College of Medicine.
